TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to method and apparatus • for detection of defects in steel
materials by using a rotating magnetic field and more particularly to method and .
apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in a cylindrical or columnar metallic
material to be examined by applying a rotating magnetic field which rotates around
the outer circumferential surface of the material to be examined or examinee material.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Known as a method for non-destructive inspection of surface flaws or crack flaws
in a cylindrical or columnar metallic material such as for example a steel bar or
a steel pipe is an eddy current inspection method wherein a high frequency magnetic
field of several KHz to several of tens of KHz is applied to a material to be examined
so that the state of an eddy current generated in the surface of the examinee material
is changed dependent on the presence or absence of a flaw, followed by a change in
magnetic flux generated by the eddy current, and the change is detected by a detecting
element such as a detection coil disposed in the proximity of the examinee material.
In the case of the material to be examined being nonmagnetic, a magnetic inspection
method is known wherein a detecting element such as a Hall element or a detection
coil disposed in the proximity of the material to be examined detects that the state
of leakage magnetic flux generated at the surface of the examinee material by a high
frequency magnetic field mentioned as above is changed dependent on the presence or
absence of a flaw. Principles of these detection methods are disclosed in detail in
"Industrial Instrumentation Handbook" published by Asakura Shoten, March, 1982, pp.
633-641.
[0003] When inspecting the entire circumference of the material to be examined in accordance
with any of the above inspection methods, it is necessary to rotate the material to
be examined while an inspection apparatus, comprised of an exciter for application
of the magnetic field and the detecting element, being kept stationary or to rotate
the inspection apparatus around the material to be examined while the examinee material
being kept stationary and in any case, there arise problems that a rotation mechanism
is required, increasing the overall size of the apparatus and that the inspection
is time-consuming. To solve these problems, a method is proposed in the specification
of British Patent No. 1,436,186, according to which a cylindrical exciter of a multiphase
alternating current winding structure such as a stator of an induction motor is provided,
a multiphase alternating current is passed through the exciter to generate a rotating
magnetic field, and surface flaws of a material to be examined which is inserted for
passage through the exciter are detected by a toroidal coil disposed in the proximity
of the surface of the examinee material and surrounding the same. In this method,
however, the multiphase alternating current to be passed through the exciter is of
a single frequency as described in the aforementioned British Patent Specification
and this method is suitable for use with a low frequency but for use with a high frequency,
the core of the exciter must be removed or the core must be made of a special material
such as ferrite. When the low frequency magnetic field is used, sensitivity is degraded
and especially, sensitivity to surface flaws of the material to be examined is seriously
degraded and the detection becomes almost impossible. Especially where the high frequency
is used with the core made of such a material as ferrite, an attendant increase in
revolution number of the rotating magnetic field gives rise to an increase in noise,
thus preventing the frequency from being allowed to increase to an extent that practically
sufficient sensitivity can be obtained.
[0004] Accordingly, an object of this invention is.to provide method and apparatus for non-destructive
inspection of flaws in metal materials which does not require relative mechanical
rotation between a material to.be examined and the inspection apparatus and which
can exhibit sufficient sensitivity of detection of surface flaws of the material to
be examined
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0005] To accomplish the above object, according to method and apparatus of the invention,
exciting coils centered on a longitudinal axis of a cylindrical or columnar metallic
... material to be examined are arranged to surround the examinee material, a multiphase
alternating current of such a relatively low frequency as to cause the exciting coils
to: generate a rotating magentic field which rotates about the longitudinal axis of
the examinee material is superimposed with a high frequency alternating current of
an inspection frequency selected on the basis of necessary sensitivity for detection
of surface flaws of the examinee material and applied to the exciting coils so that
an electromagnetic effect created at the surface of the examinee material by the high
frequency alternating current is rotated for shifting circumferentially of the examinee
material along with the rotating magnetic field, and a detecting element group disposed
in the proximity of the surface of the examinee material detects that the electromagnetic
effect is changed by the presence of a surface flaw of the examinee material.
[0006] In a more preferable mode of the invention, respective phases of the low frequency
multiphase alternating current for generation of the rotating field are independently
balance-modulated with the high frequency alternating current and applied to the exciting
coils.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0007]
Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a first embodiment of the
invention.
Figure 2A is a side view of an exciter in the embodiment of Figure 1.
Figure 2B is a sectional view taken on B-B' of Figure 2A.
Figure 3A and Figure 3B are a front view and a side view showing the construction
of a sensor group.
Figure 4A and Figure 4B are a front view and a side view showing the disposition of
a sensor coil.
Figure 5 is a diagram showing the relation between flaw position and detection signal.
Figure 6 is a block diagram showing a modification of the first embodiment.
Figure 7, Figure 8 and Figure 9 are block diagrams showing various modifications of
a second embodiment of the invention.
Figure 10 is a diagram showing waveforms of a balance-modulated multiphase alternating
current to be applied to an exciter in the second embodiment.
Figure 11 is a diagram showing output waveforms of sensors.
Figure 12A and Figure 12B are diagrams showing the relation between sensor output
and flaw position in the case of absence of a circuit for cancelling out noises due
to vibrations of a material to be examined and in the case of presence of the noise
cancellation circuit.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0008] A first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. In
Fig. 1, 1 designates a cylindrical or columnar metallic material to be examined. An
exciting unit 2 for generating a rotating magnetic field which rotates about a longitudinal
axis 0 of the material 1 to be examined is so disposed as to surround the examinee
material 1, and a sensor group 3 is disposed between examiee material 1 and exciting
unit 2 along the inner circum- ferential surface of the exciting unit 2. The exciting
unit 2 has a similar construction to a stator of a multi- phase induction motor and
comprises, as shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, a core 22 supported by a cylindrical outer
support 21, a multiphase winding 23 fitted in slots formed in the inner circumferential
surface of the core 22, and an inner insulating cylinder 24 disposed interiorly of
the multiphase. winding. When describing an instance using a three-phase alternating
current for simplicity of explanation, the winding 23 comprises three coils which
are spaced at intervals of an electrical angle of 2π/3 and under excitation using
a three-phase alternating current at a frequency fHz, a rotating magnetic field of
a revolution number
![](https://data.epo.org/publication-server/image?imagePath=1987/29/DOC/EPNWA1/EP86904363NWA1/imgb0001)
(rpm) is generated, where P is the number of poles.
[0009] The sensor group 3 comprised of a number of sensors 30 is arranged in line in the
circumferential direction along the inner wall of the inner insulating cylinder 24.
As illustrated in detail in Figs. 3A and 3B, each sensor 30 is connected to a connector
34 by a lead wire 33. A group of connectors 34 are arranged on a disc having a larger
diameter than that of the insulating cylinder 24 to assure sufficient spacing between
elements. As the sensor, a magnetic detecting element such as a Hall element, a magnetoresistive
element or a detection coil may satisfactorily be used and the direction of flux to
be detected may be either radial or tangential with respect to the outer circumference
of the examinee material. Figs 4A and 4B illustrate posture of a coil when a tangential
component of a magnetic field is detected by using a detec- tion coil 30 as the sensor.
When detecting a radial component, the coil as illustrated in Fig. 4A is rotated through
90° so that the coil surface may be directed tangentially. The smaller the detection
coil, the higher the sensitivity becomes, and a detection coil of 6 to 8 mm diameter
is typically used.
[0010] Returning to Fig. 1, the winding 3 of the exciting unit 2 is applied with a composite
current which is obtained by synthesizing, by means of a waveform synthesizer 7, a
three-phase alternating current generated from a three-phase alternating current power
source 4, having a low frequency selected in accordance with a desired revolution
number of the rotating magnetic field, and a high frequency alternating current generated
from a high frequency power source 5, having a frequency suitably used as an inspection
frequency. This composition may be effected in a manner of either addition or multiplication
and preferably, a composite wave as shown in Fig. 10 is used which is obtained by
balance-modulating the low frequency alternating current with the high frequency alternating
current as will be described later. Preferably, the frequency of the three-phase alternating
current for generating the rotating magnetic field may be 1 to 1000 Hz when utilizing
eddy currents and 1 to 900 Hz when utilizing leakage flux, and the inspection frequency
may be 10 to 1000 KHz when utilizing eddy currents and 1 to 100 KHz when utilizing
leakage flux.
[0011] The exciting unit 2 responds to the composite alternating current to generate a rotating
magnetic field which rotates circumferentially of a cross section of the examinee
material, i.e., about the longitudinal axis 0 at a rotating speed determined by the
frequency of the low frequency alternating current, and the sensor group 3 detects
that an electromagnetic effect such as eddy current or leakage flux generated at the
surface of the examinee material by the superimposed high frequency alternating current
is changed dependent on the presence or absence of a surface flaw of the examinee
material. Thus, respective sensors 30a, 30b, 30c are connected to a detector 8 whose
output is recorded on a recorder 6. Since, in the presence of a surface flaw, the
output of a sensor in association with the position of the surface flaw is changed,
the presence and position of that flaw can be recognized from an output waveform recorded
on the recorder 6. This will be explained by referring to Fig. 5.
[0012] Referring to Fig. 5, the ordinate represents the sensors 30a, 30b, 30c, ... arranged
circumferentially of a cross section of the examinee material, the abscissa represents
the longitudinal direction of the examinee material, and a hatched portion represents
a sensor which detects an electromagnetic effect (eddy current or leakage flux) induced
in the surface of the examinee material by the rotating magnetic field. Since the
magnetic field generated by the exciting unit rotates at a predetermined period circumferentially
of the cross section of the examinee material as described previously, the electromagnetic
effect induced in the surface of the examinee material by this magnetic field becomes
as if it were rotating circumferentially of the cross section of the examinee material
and accordingly, the position of a sensor which detects this electromagnetic effect
shifts circumferentially of the cross section in synchronism with the roating speed
of the magnetic field, as indicated at hatched portions in the same figure. Assuming
now that a crack flaw 50 exists in the surface of the examinee material as shown in
the same figure, a flaw signal is obtained as indicated at 51 each time a sensor directly
above the crack flaw 50 is activated.
[0013] A modification of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6.
In Fig. 6, components like those of Fig. 1 are designated by identical characters.
A detecting portion (a) of Fig. 6 is the same as the corresponding portion of Fig.
1. A transmitting circuit (b) has amplifiers 7a which amplify respective phases of
a composite current produced from the waveform synthesizer 7. A receiving circuit
(c) resembles that of Fig. 1 by comprising the recorder 6 but has a sampling circuit
9, a differential amplifier 10 and a synchronization controller 11 which substitute
for the detector 8 of Fig. 1. The ...;. synchronization controller 11 outputs a pulse
signal synchronous with the rotating frequency of the rotating magnetic field obtained
from the waveform synthesizer 7. The sampling circuit 9 has a switch group (not shown)
arranged in correspondence to individual sensors 30a, 30b, ... of the sensor group
3 and is operable to connect an output of each sensor to the differential amplifier
10 through a corresponding switch, the individual switches being sequentially closed
by the pulse signal from the synchronization controller 11 to sequentially sample
the individual sensor outputs. Since an electromagnetic effect, for example, leakage
flux induced at the surface of the examinee material by the rotating magnetic field
also shifts circumferentially of the surface of the examinee material in synchronism
with the rotating magnetic field, the phase of the pulse signal from the synchronization
controller 11 is adjusted to ensure that a switch connected to a sensor at a position
corresponding to the shifting leakage flux can be closed. This phase adjustment is
carried out by providing a phase adjuster (not shown) in the synchronization controller
11 and by adjusting the phase of the pulse signal by means of the phase shifter in
such a manner that when the apparatus is operated with a material to be examined,
having a small flaw corresponding to a single detection coil scratched at a previously
known location, inserted in the detecting portion (a), the output of the differential
amplifier 10 becomes maximum. The differential amplifier 10 in receipt of the sensor
output amplifies an output of a level in excess of a predetermined reference level
and applies an amplified output to the recorder 6.
[0014] A second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Fig.
7. A detecting portion 70 is the same as that of Fig. 1. A transmitting circuit 71
comprises a two-phase alternating current generator 72 for generating a two-phase
alternating current of a low frequency determined in accordance with a revolution
number of the rotating magnetic field, and phase shifter circuits 72a and 72b for
respective 240° and 120° phase shiftings of the output of the generator 72. The outputs
of the 240° and 120° phase shifter circuits 72a and 72b and of the two-phase alternating
current generator 72 are respectively applied to balanced modulators 73a, 73b and
73c so as to balance-modulate a high frequency alternating current of several KHz
to several of tens of KHz generated from an inspection frequency generator 80, thereby
producing a three-phase alternating current of A phase, B phase and C phase. This
three-phase alternating current is amplified by amplifiers 74a, 74b and 74c and applied
to the three-phase winding of the detecting portion so that a rotating magnetic field
superimposed with the high frequency alternating current of the high inspection frequency
can be obtained.
[0015] A sensor group 30 is constructed similarly to that of the first embodiment, wherein
each of the sensors 30a, 30b, ... 30n has one end grounded and the.other output end
connected to a phase detector 76a, 76b, ... or 76n through an amplifier 75a, 75b,
... or 75n. Each phase detector phase-detects an inputted sensor output by using as
a reference wave the output of inspection frequency generator 80 which is phase-shifted
through a phase shifter circuit 79 and generates a phase-detected output.
[0016] In the absence of a material to be examined, the output voltage of each sensor is
zero because no magnetic flux interlinks the coil and when a material to be examined
whose circumferential surface is devoid of flaw and uniform is inserted, each sensor
detects a uniform eddy current reaction signal but this signal can be cancelled out
by suitably setting the reference wave phase of phase detection and can be prevented
from developing in the phase detector. The phase shifter circuit 79 is phase-adjusted
such that the output of the phase detector becomes zero when the examinee material
has no flaw.
[0017] With an examinee material having a flaw, the eddy current is locally disturbed and
a sensor near that flaw produces an induced voltage which is different from that produced
from another sensor in phase and amplitude and the induced voltage changes as the
magnetic field rotates. Consequently, the phase-detected output originating from the
induced voltage of that coil becomes a sine wave having the same period as that of
the rotating magnetic field. And, the amplitude of the output from a sensor in the
most proximity of the flaw becomes maximum and the amplitude of the sensor output
becomes smaller in proportion to deviation from the flaw position. This condition
is illustrated in Fig. 11. In this figure, assuming that a sensor nch is situated
directly above a flaw, (n-1)ch represents a coil next to the coil nch to the left,
(n+1)ch represents a coil next to the coil nch to the right, (n-2)ch represents a
coil next to the (n-l)ch to the left, (n+2)ch represents a coil next to the (n+1)ch
to the right and so on. These waveforms correspond to the phase detector outputs which
are passed through low-pass filters 77a, 77b, ... 77n so as to be removed of the inspection
frequency component.
[0018] Outputs from the low-pass filters are sent to a band-pass filter 84 through electronic
switches 78a, 78b, ... 78n. Each of the switches 78a, 78b, ... is constituted by,
for example, a field effect transistor and opened or closed by an output from a ring
counter 83. One phase of the three-phase alternating current for generating the rotating
magnetic field is inputted to a phase shifter circuit 81, at which it is phase-shifted
to a desired phase within a range of from 0° to 360°, and then inputted to a frequency
multiplier 82 of phase-locked type. Assuming that the number of the sensors 30a, 30b,
... is n, the frequency multiplier 82 performs n multiplication and accordingly, given
the frequency of the three-phase alternating current being f, it outputs nf which
in turn supplied to an n-step (n-nary) ring counter 83. The ring counter 83 has n
switch control outputs and hence each of the switches 78a, 78b, is once rendered on
during one period of the three-phase alternating current. The phase of the output
from the phase shifter circuit 81 is so adjusted as to ensure that the output of the
ring counter 83 can close a switch connected to a sensor situated at a position opposing
a shifting eddy current generated in the surface of the examinee material by the rotating
magnetic field. Each switch remains on during an interval of time equal to 1/n of
the period of the three-phase alternating current, n being 120, for example. In this
manner, the outputs of the individual sensors are sequentially sampled. In the absence
of the examinee material, the outputs of the low-pass filters 77a, 77b ... are zero
and the outputs sampled by the switches 78a, 78b, ... are also zero. Where the material
to be examined having no flaw is inserted for loading, owing to eccentricity in the
insertion as well as rotationally asymmetric shape and unevenness in quality of the
material, there occurs an output of a relatively small amplitude having a period which
is equal to or about half the period of the rotating magnetic field. The outputs sampled
by the switches 78a, 78b, ... are sent to the band-pass filter 84 at which they are
removed of other signals than the flaw information, that is, a gradually varying signal
due to the uneven quality and a spike signal attendant on switching.
[0019] The output of the ring counter 83 is fedback to the frequency multiplier 82 so that
the final stage output pulse of the counter may be locked to a reference phase of
the sinusoidal output from the phase shifter circuit 81, for example, a phase of zero-cross
point.
[0020] The relation of the position of the rotating magnetic field relative to the sampling
timing for the sensor output can be changed by effecting the phase shift by means
of the phase shifter circuit 81 and it is possible to sample a sensor output at a
position where a maximum flux density portion of the rotating magnetic field is operating
or to sample a detection coil output at a position where a zero flux density portion
is operating.
[0021] Fig. 8 shows an improvement on Fig. 7 which adds to Fig. 7 cancellation voltage generator
85a, 85b, ... and differential amplifiers 86a, 86b, .... These components function
to cancel out inherent outputs to the set (noises) due to irregularity in magnetic
pole and winding of the rotating magnetic field generator or irregularity in assemblage
of the sensor group. More particularly, in the absence of the material to be examined,
outputs of the phase detectors 76a, 76b, ... should ideally be zero but actually,
there occur distorted wave outputs due to the irregularity described as above. Specifically,
the sensors are not uniform and the sinusoidal waves of the sane period as that of
the rotating magnetic field outputted from the low-pass filters 77a, 77b ... have
different peak values. Accordingly, these sinusoidal waves are sampled to generate
irregular signals leading to noises. These signals having different peak values for
the individual coils are cancelled out by means of the differential amplifiers 86a,
86b, and cancellation voltage generators 85a, 85b, .... The cancellation voltage generator
85a, 85b, ... generate a sine wave which is of the same period as that of the rotating
magnetic field and of variable amplitude and phase the amplitude and phase of the
sine wave being made coincident with those of the outputs delivered out of the filters
77a, 77b, ... in the absence of the examinee material to enable the sine wave to be
cancelled out by means of the differential amplifiers 86a, 86b, .... The amplitude
and phase can be adjusted manually or automatical
ly.
[0022] Fig. 9 shows an improvement on Fig. 8 capable of cancelling noises due to vibrations
of the examinee material. Electronic switches 87a, 87b, ... connected to the outputs
of the differential amplifiers 86a, 86b, ..., respectively, and a differential amplifier
88 constitute a means for this purpose, the switches 87a, 87b, ... being controlled
by outputs of the ring counter 83 which are displaced by one from those for the switches
78a, 78b, .... More particularly, the same output turns on the switches 87a and 78b,
the same output turns on the switches 87b and 78c, ... and the same output turns on
the switches 87n and 78n, and the difference between outputs of the switches 78a,
78b, ... and outputs of the switches 87a, 87b, ... is determined by the amplifier
88 and applied to the band-pass filter 84.
[0023] In comparison with Fig. 8, the output from differential amplifier 88 of Fig. 9 will
be described with reference to Figs. 12A and 12B. The sensor outputs are as shown
at a bar graph in Fig. 12A and these outputs are applied to the recorder in the case
of Fig. 8. Since the differential amplifier 88 sequentially determines the dif- ference
between adjacent two outputs A and B, (A - B) outputs are obtained as shown in Fig.
12B. Considering that changes in coil outputs due to a vibration of the examinee material
develop in adjacent two coils (in this example, 120 coils are arranged per circumference
and the coil spacing is 3°) in the same amount, the changes are cancelled out through
the above difference operation and a zero-cross point in the (A - B) outputs is considered
to be representative of a flaw position.
[0024] For generation of the rotating magnetic field, use should not be limited to the three-phase
alternating current but arbitrary m coils may be arranged with 2π/m displacement to
generate an m-phase alternating current for excitation and the present invention may
also use such a multiphase alternating current system.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0025] Since, in the present invention, a rotating magnetic field is generated by a low
frequency multiphase alternating current and a high frequency alternating current
at an inspection frequency is superimposed on the. rotating magnetic field so that
a surface flaw of a material to be examined may be detected by using an electromagnetic
effect induced in the examinee material by the high frequency alternating current,
optimum values of the revolution number of the rotating magnetic field and the inspection
frequency can be selected independently of each other in accordance with a material
of the examinee material and position and size of a flaw to be detected, thereby providing
method and: apparatus for non-destructive inspection of metal materials which can
detect a surface flaw of a metal material with high efficiency and high sensitivity.
1. A method for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials in which an
electromagnetic effect is induced in the surface of an elongated metal material and
a change in the electromagnetic effect dependent on the presence or absence of a surface
flaw of the metal material is utilized, said method comprising generating a rotating
magnetic field which rotates about a longitudinal axis of a material to be examined
by a composite low frequency multiphase alternating current superimposed with a high
frequency alternating current of an inspection frecuency suitable for inducing said
electromagnetic effect in the . surface of the examinee material so that the electromagnetic
effect induced in the surface of the examinee material may be rotated for shifting
in the circumferential direction along the surface of the examinee material as said
rotating magnetic field rotates, and detecting a change in said electromagnetic effect
by a detecting element group disposed in the proximity of the surface of said examinee
material and arranged in the circumferential direction in which said electromagnetic
effect is rotated for shifting.
2. A method for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according to
Claim 1, characterized in that said composite multiphase alternating current is obtained
by independently balance-modulating respective phases of said low frequency multiphase
alternating current with said high frequency alternating current of the inspection
frequency.
A method for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according to Claim
2, characterized in that said electromagnetic effect is an eddy current generated
in the surface of the examinee material and said inspection frequency is 10 to 1000
KHz.
4. A method for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according to
Claim 3, characterized in that the frequency of said low frequency multiphase alternating
current is 1 to 1000 Hz.
5. A method for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according to
Claim 2, characterized in that said electromagnetic effect is an eddy current generated
in the surface of the examinee material and the frequency of said low frequency multiphase
alternating current is 1 to 1000 Hz.
6. A method for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according to
Claim 2, characterized in that said electromagnetic effect is leakage flux at the
surface of the examinee material and said inspection frequency is 1 to 100 KHz.
7. A method for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according to
Claim 6, characterized in that the frequency of said low frequency multiphase alternating
current is 1 to 900 Hz.
8. A method for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according to
Claim 2, characterized in that said electromagnetic effect is leakage flux at the
surface of the examinee material and the frequency of said low frequency multiphase
alternating current is 1 to 900 Hz.
9. An apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials in which
an electromagnetic effect is induced in the surface of an elongated metal material
and a change in the electromagnetic effect dependent on the presence or absence of
a surface flaw of the metal material is utilized, said apparatus comprising:
means for generating a rotating magnetic field formed as a hollow cylinder into which
a material to be examined is insertable longitudinally thereof and having a multiphase
winding arranged for generation of the rotating magnetic field;
a transmitting circuit for generating a low frequency mutltiphase alternating current
being at a frequency which is so selected as to obtain the rotating magnetic field
of a desired revolution number and having respective phases which are independently
balance-modulated with a high frequency alternating current of an inspection frequency
suitable for inducing said electromagnetic effect in the surface of the examinee material,
said transmitting circuit being connected to apply said low frequency multiphase alternating
current to said multiphase winding of said rotating magnetic field generating means;
a plurality of detecting elements being arranged in the circumferential direction
along the inner circumferential surface of said hollow cylindrical rotating magnetic
field generating means and suitable for detecting a change in said electromagnetic
effect generated in the surface of the examinee material; and
processing means, connected to output ends of said detecting elements, for processing
an output from each detecting element to derive a signal indicative of the presence
of a flaw at the surface of the examinee material.
10. An apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according
to Claim 9, characterized in that said electromagnetic effect is an eddy current generated
in the surface of the examinee material.
11. An apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according
to Claim 10, characterized in that said processing means comprises a plurality of
phase detectors for phase-detecting the outputs of said detecting elements by using
said high frequency alternating current of said inspection frequency as a reference
wave, a plurality of low-pass filters for deriving, from respective outputs of said
phase detectors, components having the same frequency as that of said low frequency
multiphase alternating current, and a sampling circuit having a plurality of switches
for sequentially sampling outputs of said plurality of low-pass filters in synchronism
with the rotation of said rotating magnetic field.
12. An apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according
to Claim 11, characterized in that a plurality of cancellation circuits are provided
between said low-pass filters and said switches, for cancelling out outputs of said
low-pass filters which develop when the examinee material has no flaw.
13. An apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according
to Claim 11, characterized in that said sampling circuit has two switch groups for
sequentially sampling the outputs of said low-pass filters in synchronism with the
rotation of said rotating magnetic field, operation timings for respective switch
groups are controlled such that outputs of adjacent two detecting elements are sampled
simultaneously by said two switch groups, respectively, and a differential amplifier
is provided for determining the difference between two out-.. puts sampled simultaneously.
14. An apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according
to Claim 10, characterized in that there is provided a band-pass filter connected
to the outputs of said sampling circuit to eliminate other component than the flaw
information from the outputs of said sampling circuit.
15. An apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according
to Claim 9, characterized in that said electromagnetic effect is generated in the
surface of the examinee material.
16. An apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal material according
to Claim 15, characterized in that said processing means comprises a plurality of
phase detectors for phase-detecting the outputs of said detecting elements by using
said high frequency alternating current of said inspection frequency as a reference
wave, a plurality of low-pass filters for deriving, from respective outputs of said
phase detectors, components having the same frequency as that of said low frequency
multiphase alternating current, and a sampling circuit having a plurality of switches
for sequentially sampling outputs of said plurality of low-pass filters in synchronism
with the rotation of said rotating magnetic field.
17. An apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according
to Claim 16, characterized in that a plurality of cancellation circuits are provided
between said low-pass filters and said switches for cancelling out outputs of said
low-pass filters which develop when the examinee material has no flaw.
18. An apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according
to Claim 16, characterized in that said sampling circuit has two switch groups for
sequentially sampling the outputs of said low-pass filters in synchronism with the
rotation of said rotating magnetic field, operation timings for respective switch
groups are controlled such that outputs of adjacent two detecting elements are sampled
simultaneously by said two switch groups, respectively, and a differential amplifier
is provided for determining the difference between two outputs sampled simultaneously.
19. An apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials according
to Claim 15, characterized in that there is provided a band-pass filter connected
to the outputs of said sampling circuit to eliminate other component than the flaw
information from the outputs of said sampling circuit.